LA County Parks Extends Programming as a Safety Net for Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Students and Families Amidst Possible Strike

Select Every Body Plays and Nature Centers Sites to Receive Extended Hours From Tuesday, March 21 - Thursday, March 23

Los Angeles, CA - In light of recent news of a possible strike by the Los Angeles School Workers Union, the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation will extend the hours of its Every Body Plays program at 16 select parks as well as at Deane Dana Friendship Park and Stoneview Nature Center from March 21 to March 23.

“The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation Every Body Plays program will have expanded hours to serve as a safetynet for the many students and families who are temporarily impacted by the possible LAUSD strike. I want to thank our dedicated and caring Parks and Recreation staff who mobilized quickly to offer this important service,” shared Norma Edith García-Gonzalez, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation. Parks have always been safe havens for children to play and thrive when schools are closed. Creating a stress-free place for children to play underscores the vital role parks and our caring staff have in promoting positive youth development.”

The Every Body Plays program is a free drop-in recreation program where children ages 7 to 17 can participate in activities like sports, games and arts and crafts. Participants can also receive a free grab-n-go breakfast from 8-10AM and lunch from 11AM to 1PM. These 16 selected sites (listed below) will operate from 8AM to 5:30 PM on Tuesday, March 21, Wednesday, March 22 and Thursday, March 23.

• Belvedere Park (4914 E. Cesar Chavez Ave. Los Angeles, CA 9002)
• City Terrace Park (1126 N. Hazard Ave, E. Los Angeles, CA 90063)
• Obregon Park (4021 E. First St. Los Angeles, CA 90063)
• Saybrook Park (6250 East Northside Dr. East Los Angeles, CA 90022)
• Ruben Salazar Park (3864 Whittier Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90023)
• Athens Park (12603 S. Broadway Los Angeles, CA 90061)
• Bethune Park (1244 E. 61st St. Los Angeles, CA 9000)
• Helen Keller Park (1045 W. 126th St Los Angeles, CA 90044)
• Jesse Owens Park (9651 S. Western Ave Los Angeles, CA 90047)
• Earvin Magic Johnson Park (905 E. El Segundo Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90059)
• Roosevelt Park (7600 Graham Ave. Los Angeles CA 90001)
• Ted Watkins Park (1335 E. 103rd St. Los Angeles, CA 90002)
• Leon H Washington Park (8908 S. Maie Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90002)
• Victoria Park (419 Martin Luther King Jr. St. Carson, CA 90746)
• El Cariso Park (13100 Hubbard St. Sylmar, CA 91342)
• Crescenta Valley Park (3901 Dunsmore Ave. Glendale, CA 91214)

Additionally, Deane Dana Friendship Nature Center and Stoneview Nature Center will also be activated for extended hours from 8AM to 5:30PM on on Tuesday, March 21, Wednesday, March 22 and Thursday, March 23. These sites will also serve free breakfast and lunches, while supplies last.

• Deane Dana Friendship Park and Nature Center (1805 W. 9th St.San Pedro, CA 90732)
• Stoneview Nature Center (5950 Stoneview Dr. Culver City, CA 90232)

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About LA County Parks and Recreation

The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation manages 183 parks and operates a network of 70,079 acres of parkland, 475 sports amenities such as futsal, basketball, tennis, lawn bowling and multipurpose fields, 42 swimming pools, 15 wildlife sanctuaries, 10 nature centers that serve as a refuge for over 200 animals, 14 lakes – 3 of which are boating and swimming lakes, 5 equestrians centers, more than 210 miles of multi-use trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, and the largest municipal golf system in the nation, consisting of 20 golf courses. The department also maintains four botanical centers: The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden, the South Coast Botanic Garden, Descanso Gardens, and Virginia Robinson Gardens. The department also owns and operates the iconic Hollywood Bowl and John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, which are jointly managed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, providing County residents with valuable entertainment and cultural resources.